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  5. Can I receive SSI and SSDI benefits at the same time?

Can I receive SSI and SSDI benefits at the same time?

In some situations, you may be able to get both Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits simultaneously. This is often known as “concurrent benefits.” To get concurrent benefits, you need to qualify and apply for SSDI in addition to receiving reduced monthly benefits from the program.

A reduced monthly SSDI payment is the result of several factors including:

  • Insufficient work credits (you haven’t worked enough or at all in the past decade)
  • Poor work history when you became disabled
  • Becoming disabled while young, inability to create a sufficient work history
  • Low earning wages throughout your job history

These factors may affect the amount of SSDI benefits you receive due to payments being dependent on minimum health eligibility requirements and having enough work credits gathered from the entire span of your work history.

SSI is a financial need-dependent program administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA) and funded by general tax revenue, whereas SSDI is paid for by specifically the Social Security tax. Any income from “measurable sources” is evaluated by the SSA to decide whether you meet the administration’s criteria to qualify for the SSI program.

Measurable income consists of earned income in addition to multiple forms of “unearned income.” SSDI payments are viewed as “unearned income.” Plainly, any income you earn cannot be more than the set minimums of the SSI program.

In most cases, SSI unearned income minimums are established at $710 each month; but in some states, the minimum is raised.

Being able to qualify for the SSI program is not simple. Income, whether it’s earned or unearned, is recognized when calculating financial need. However, financial resources or assets are also considered.

SSI eligibility comes with a total available asset maximum in addition to the monthly limit on income. Asset limits are established at $2,000 for a person and $3,000 for married couples.

If your income and assets exceed the limits to be eligible for SSI benefits, you could still potentially qualify for SSDI. Vice versa, if you don’t possess the sufficient work history to get SSDI benefits, you could still be eligible for SSI benefits. If you possess certain financial and medical conditions, there are situations where you can be eligible for both SSI and SSDI benefits concurrently.